Fell seven weeks ago. Doctor pushed my right arm back into the shoulder joint or so he thought. Range of motion is still limited.

A trip to the physical therapists was worth it because they confirmed what I knew, that the arm is still slightly out of place and mustnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t be forced.

The MRI (my first ever) was interesting: I was in a tube for 30 minutes but with headphones listening to MOTR rock, soft lights and some air blowing on my face (to keep the air fresh and the experts know that blowing air in your face keeps the claustrophobic from freaking out). Even got a souvenir CD-ROM of the scans.

The orthopÃƒÂ¦dist I saw was the first one available and not my doctorÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s first choice: the second time I saw him he misread my chart (Ã¢â‚¬Ëœso, you hurt it two weeks agoÃ¢â‚¬â„¢; Ã¢â‚¬Ëœno, a monthÃ¢â‚¬â„¢; Ã¢â‚¬ËœohÃ¢â‚¬â„¢), acted like he never even talked to the physical therapists I saw and blew off their warning not to force the arm (heÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s a bit prideful: Ã¢â‚¬ËœPTs are not surgeons!Ã¢â‚¬â„¢). At least the MRI showed whatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s wrong: one partially torn ligament and a stress fracture in one bone. (My first known broken bone!)

What's obvious to two PTs and a friend who's a second-year med student is not to a surgeon with X-rays, an MRI and a Ã¢â‚¬â„¢tude.

This orthopÃƒÂ¦dist doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t think he has to operate (which is usually good news) but itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s my arm and I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t trust this guyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s judgement so IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m going to somebody else on the 2nd.

"as [you've] informed us that respect chills love, it is natural to conclude that all your pretty flights arise from your pampered sensibility; and that, vain of this fancied preeminence of organs, you foster every emotion till the fumes, mounting to your brain, dispel the sober suggestions of reason. It is not in this view surprising that when you should argue you become impassioned, and that reflection inflames your imagination instead of enlightening your understanding." - Mary Wollstonecraft

Saw a competent orthopaedist on Tuesday morning who after looking me over confirmed what a friend who is a second-year med student said - it's obvious from across the room that something's wrong! The deltoid muscle that should be on top of the shoulder isn't (which is why the shoulder looks out of place); it's sagging and I can't move it (and thus my my arm all the way) because of nerve damage. That nerve gets stretched in these injuries and can take a year to heal; if it's torn I'll need a neurosurgeon to try to fix it.

That and the labrum is torn, which the less than competent orthopaedist got wrong.

So structurally the shoulder is in place and not that badly damaged but 'that's the least of your problems'.

Not the best news but it's still a relief to finally be in good hands.

Next up: a test from a neurologist (a week from today) and some physical therapy to stop that muscle atrophying.

Went back to physical therapy finally knowing what's wrong and got some simple exercises to do that seem to help. Chances are even if the back deltoid remains paralysed I can get back at least some range of motion.